Increase and Access – attributes of Christ’s Kingdom
Speaking of the coming kingdom of God's Messiah, the prophet Isaiah declared, "Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end..." (Is. 9:7a). Increase is an attribute of God's Kingdom, and any healthy functioning church may experience increase in various ways. Increase also demands change, and so it's fair to say that change must be an accepted part of church life. Embracing the need for change matters also. Lifeway is facing some necessary changes, brought on by numerical increase in the size of the church family and the needs of our children and youth. We must adopt the attitude of Jesus towards our younger members - that "the kingdom of God belongs to such as these" (Mark 10:14). As Jesus embraced and blessed the children, it is clear that another attribute of the Kingdom is access.